Pittsburgh Popcorn Company's processing facility shut down after inspector finds rodent droppings in bags of cheese
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Pittsburgh Popcorn Company's food processing facility has been shut down after an inspector found multiple violations, including rodent droppings in bags of cheese, according to the report.
The Allegheny County Health Department ordered the Pittsburgh Popcorn Company's location on Josephine Street on the South Side Slopes to close after a reinspection on Friday. It comes after a consumer alert was issued following an initial inspection earlier this month.
The report says the inspector found seven bags of seasoned cheddar cheese that had been gnawed by rodents, and a few of the bags contained rodent droppings. There was also a live mouse behind the walk-in cooler and a dead mouse in an upstairs room.
The report says it was an improvement from the last inspection, but the rodents were still a problem.
"Facility under new contract with a pest control company and significant progress has been made, however adulterated food was still present during today's inspection," the report notes.
The first inspection on Dec. 4 listed several high-risk violations. The report said there were "numerous food products found gnawed by rodents" and rodent droppings "in all parts of the facility," including inside and in close proximity to popcorn production equipment. That inspection report also said an employee was seen eating popcorn while packing it.
Pittsburgh Popcorn Company said the location on Josephine Street is "under separate ownership" and is "not affiliated with any of the retail locations." None of the popcorn made there goes to retail locations, the company said.
A food facility is ordered to close when the conditions inside pose a serious health risk, the health department says. A consumer alert means a food facility is out of compliance with minimum food safety standards and the conditions may pose a risk to public health.
